10 games to watch for 2010

Sep 01, 2010

So, another year of Division III football is upon us (finally!)
I’ve been writing this column since 2006 and every year, I
learn more and more about D-III football -- including the teams and
the campuses where they play.

My name is Adam Samrov and I’m a news editor for the
Bennington Banner in Bennington, Vt. in my day job.

For those new to the East Region, the teams I cover include the
Empire 8, which is really six (but we’ll get to that later).
It also includes the Liberty League, the Middle Atlantic Conference
and the New Jersey Athletic Conference. So by my count,
that’s somewhere in the vicinity of 30 teams.

Following all those teams is definitely not an easy task, but
hopefully you, the readers, will make it a bit easier.

This year, I have started a Twitter account for you guys to follow
where I’m following -- the big games, the interesting
stories, the items that wouldn’t get in the column on a
weekly basis. It’s also a place to link to stories I might
not see, so it’s definitely a great place to go back and
forth with the readers of this fine column. So follow
@d3fbEAST.

Without any further ado, and in no specific order, here’s
some of the top games in the East Region this season.

Sept. 11 Union at Ithaca: Two of the East’s
powers battle head to head for the second year in a row. Last year,
Union won in Schenectady 24-21, but now the Dutchmen travel across
New York state to the South Hill to battle the Bombers. Ithaca will
need to stop Union running back Chris Coney. Coney could be the
Liberty League’s leading rusher when all is said and done.
Ithaca will be playing its first game after the suspensions of
seven players, six starters, for the opening game of the
season.

Sept. 25 St. John Fisher at Hobart: Two perennial
top teams square off in Geneva in Week 4. Even though this is a
non-league game, it should be a great matchup for the
Rochester-area squads.

Oct. 9 Ithaca at St. John Fisher: This one, like
the Kickoff special says, should be the title game for the Empire
8, if everything plays out. Even though the conference only has six
teams, it still gets the automatic qualifier because two new
affiliate members are coming in during the grace period.

Sept. 18 Rowan at Montclair State: This matchup
with two of the top teams in the NJAC and the East takes place in
Week 3. Much of Rowan’s success will fall on how the Profs
come back from losing quarterback Frank Wilczynski to graduation.
For the Red Hawks, who come into the season ranked in the Top 25
poll, a good start will be key in repeating as NJAC champs in
2010.

Oct. 16 Cortland State at Rowan: Later on in the
season, the Profs have perennial power Cortland State come to town.
For the Red Dragons, 17 starters from a year ago return, including
nine on the defensive side of the ball. On offense, Dan Pitcher
returns after missing 2009 with an injury.

Sept. 11 MAC vs. PAC challenge: Eight games, 16
teams, two conferences. The Middle Atlantic Conference and the
Presidents Athletic Conference will battle in Week 2 for the state
of Pennsylvania in the MAC vs. PAC challenge. Delaware Valley faces
Washington & Jefferson, Albright faces Geneva, Lebanon Valley
will face Grove City, Wilkes and Waynesburg, Lycoming will take on
Westminster (Pa.), King and Bethany, Widener and Thiel and last but
not least, FDU-Florham against St. Vincent. Should be a fun
day.

Sept. 18 Delaware Valley at Wesley: Two top 10
teams facing off in Week 3? That’s a win for Division III
fans. It should be a terrific matchup.
For the Aggies, all five members of the offensive line are back,
as part of 18 returning starters for coach Jim Clements, in his
fifth season at the helm of Delaware Valley. Quarterback Mike Isgro
graduated, but senior Mark Hatty is ready to take over, and
he’ll have a huge task to defeat the Wolverines.

Oct. 2 Lebanon Valley at Delaware Valley: So if
Delaware Valley makes it past Wesley, they get to battle Lebanon
Valley at home two weeks later. This could be for the Middle
Atlantic Conference title. Most teams in the MAC are losing their
starting signal-callers from a year ago, but the Flying Dutchmen
aren’t one of them. Leb Val had a school record in victories
last year, but DVC is the biggest stumbling block in trying to
match or surpass that total in 2010.

Oct. 30 Union at RPI: “The Shoes” is
one of the premier rivalry matchups not only in the East, but
throughout the country. But there are many others, including
Cortland State/Ithaca, that merit making a trip to see.

Nov. 13 Liberty League matchups in the last week of the
season: The last couple years, the Liberty League has come
down to the final week and even final half of the season, and 2010
looks to be no different.

I’m really looking forward to the 2010 season. It should be
a banner year for Division III in the East Region.